"SECRET RESTORATIONS"

[Doghouse Riley]

This is a show on the Blaze Channel, it's pitched, like a sort of a cross between, "The Repair Shop and Gladiators."
I saw a trailer yesterday, which mentioned that the night's episode, would include the restoration of a jukebox like this one of mine.

So I recorded it and found the section.

The subject didn't look too bad, the sides of the cabinet in its, "wood grain laminate," looked OK, although, it wasn't working and the graphics had faded, the chrome just needed some chrome cleaner.
The gripper arm mechanism needed freeing up and lubricating, a common fault if they are rarely used. The turntable bearing just needed a new circlip, to re-attach it to the platter, (but they welded it), they cleaned a few contacts and replaced the cartridge. So it was working as it should. The owner had had it since 1970.

They couldn't replace the faded record card insert, they and the graphics go mostly blue, as since I managed fifteen years ago to get one of the last "new old stock" record card inserts from Victory Glass, they are now made of "unobtainium."

This is what they did to the cabinet.

They didn't bother to polish the chrome.

The graphics go mostly blue over time They couldn't replace the faded record card insert, as since I managed fifteen years ago to get one of the last "new old stock" record card inserts from Victory Glass, they are now made of "unobtainium."





The right-hand side looks odd, as they've painted around the missing cash box cover.

It still looked like it had a tube out, but the owners were happy, well they would be, wouldn't they? It's telly innit?

 

[prime minister]

So the record card index is the list of records contained in the jukebox? My ignorance is likely showing here, but wouldn’t those just be made of paper?

 

[mhardy6647]

I know a jukebox restorer... I won't mention any names, but
@forkliftman15


His turf is a bit more vintage & esoteric, though. 😎

 

[Doghouse Riley]

So the record card index is the list of records contained in the jukebox? My ignorance is likely showing here, but wouldn’t those just be made of paper?

No, it's a record card insert. (that round thing).

It sits in a slot next to the title cards, it comes with the machine. It can be removed and a 45rpm printed record sleeve can be inserted instead, used to promote a new record added to those available.
I photocopied it in case anyone needed one. It's made of quite thick material. I had to buy two at the time to meet Victory Glass' minimum shipment value, but I put the second one on eBay and sold it to someone in Malta for half the total cost and postages.

 

[JohnVF]

I've never heard of this show but the two folks standing either side of the juke box, who I presume are the restorers, look like the people manning the the stalls in every former-Kmart-turned-"fleamarket" I've ever been to.

 

[Doghouse Riley]

I've never heard of this show but the two folks standing either side of the juke box, who I presume are the restorers, look like the people manning the the stalls in every former-Kmart-turned-"fleamarket" I've ever been to.

We were told she was a ventriloquist and he, her manager.
It was his jukebox and the "restoration" was supposed to be a surprise.
How they got a near 300lb jukebox out of his home without him knowing, "could only happen on television."

 

[prime minister]

No, it's a record card insert. (that round thing).

It sits in a slot next to the title cards, it comes with the machine. It can be removed and a 45rpm printed record sleeve can be inserted instead, used to promote a new record added to those available.
I photocopied it in case anyone needed one. It's made of quite thick material. I had to buy two at the time to meet Victory Glass' minimum shipment value, but I put the second one on eBay and sold it to someone in Malta for half the total cost and postages.

View attachment 74901

Very cool.
Now it all makes sense.
Thank you, sir. You never fail to educate me.
Erik

 

[Doghouse Riley]

I see a lot of jukeboxes advertised on eBay, but often they have hand-written title cards. So unprofessional , but as they say, "each to their own."

These can be typed up in a variety of styles, fonts and colours, free on a proforma kindly provided by a jukebox parts supplier and downloaded as a PDF like this.
It centres the words and automatically reduces the font size if necessary to get it all in.
All you have to do is cut them out, they are the correct size to fit the slots in the title cardholder.







They are handy for other uses where you need a label. Like this on my two jukebox wall boxes.

 

[JoeThePop]

Love this stuff. I’m old enough to remember seeing jukeboxes in bars. And the little players in booths at our local Clock diner style restaurant. Similar to this.

 

[Doghouse Riley]

Love this stuff. I’m old enough to rember seeing jukeboxes in bars. And the little players in booths at our local Clock diner style restaurant. Similar to this.
View attachment 74978

Yes you see lots of jukeboxes and wall boxes at the end of diner booths in film noir, A classic is a Wurlitzer 1015, in a diner, in the Robert Mitchum film, "Out of the Past." it would have been brand new back then .

My favourite would be a 1941, the 850, Peacock, they were huge.

Wurlitzer Model 850 Jukebox "Peacock" of 1941 at www.pinballrebel.com

My two Rock-Ola 507 Tri-Vue wall boxes share the same adapter.

 

[Snade]

I see a lot of jukeboxes advertised on eBay, but often they have hand-written title cards. So unprofessional , but as they say, "each to their own."

These can be typed up in a variety of styles, fonts and colours, free on a proforma kindly provided by a jukebox parts supplier and downloaded as a PDF like this.
It centres the words and automatically reduces the font size if necessary to get it all in.
All you have to do is cut them out, they are the correct size to fit the slots in the title cardholder.




View attachment 74975


They are handy for other uses where you need a label. Like this on my two jukebox wall boxes.



View attachment 74976

Till Then was a huge hit for the Mills Brothers - beautiful song.

Dean Martin said his biggest influence as a young singer trying to find his voice was the Mills Brothers. If you listen to Dean Martin's singing style - the timing, the annunciation and shaping of words, the deep smooth voice - all taken from the Mills Brothers.

Cheers, Snade

 

[Doghouse Riley]

I like the Mills Brothers.

I've both "Paper Doll. "



And "Till Then," as well as an mp3 in one of the wall box iPods.



I re-did the graphics some time after this, as I had them in the wrong order. I had about three goes at it in the end.
"It has to be right, doesn't it?"